Jewelry Cleaning 101: How to quickly lose the tarnish

As a jewelry designer, I’ve obviously had my share of jewelry cleaning experiments.  I’ve tested every cleanser, tried every kind of buffing, and finally determined what works for me.  It doesn’t mean it’s the “right” way to clean your jewelry, but if you want to know what I do, here it is.

Forget the fancy cleaners, and keep the chemicals at bay– there is a much easier, cheaper and more affective way to clean your jewelry.  Soap and Water.

What you need:
–An old Toothbrush (preferably medium or soft)
–Dish Soap (like Palmolive)
–Warm water

Think you can handle it?

The best cleaning method for jewelry is always a polishing cloth, but if you really have to get in there, you’ll be amazed at how effectively you can clean your silver, gold, gold fill, gold vermeil, gold plated, and brass jewelry like this.  Most of the time, you won’t need to do anything more.

If this doesn’t work and you have to go for the chemicals, keep your money in your pocket.  I have seen the best results (on silver, brass and vermeil) from Tarnex, which sells for about $6 at your local grocery store. Again, use the toothbrush. The toothbrush is crucial!